Sunday, April 16, 2006

I felt very proud of the city club after this match, the most fulfilling and enjoyable result of the season. The home wins against Sale, Northampton and Leicester were all satisfying and delectable for various reasons but the victory against the self-styled warriors allowed the cognoscenti a tantalising glimpse into the future. Where to start when so many players had outstanding games for the city? Behind the pack, Olly Morgan impressed with his head-up, elegant pace and intelligence, Anthony Allen was an absolute thorn in Worcester’s side all afternoon with his mixture of graft, craft, relentless energy and tackle-breaking élan while the little nugget Ryan Lamb wove spells all afternoon especially when he passed the oval with slide rule precision into space (how novel!) for grateful colleagues to run into and collect. James Simpson-Daniel and Michael Tindall are different players, make no mistake, but they complement the abundantly talented trio immensely. And Peter Richards, a keen competitor and sniping nuisance, brought much to the party. It was joyous to watch and more than breathtaking to consider that this bunch can get even better. With a bludgeoning pack, a touch more experience, a tweak here and there (Mark Foster is not really Premiership quality), a fair wind and a pinch of good fortune, the club could be on the verge of a genuine new dawn and golden era. How exciting.